Recipe: mojitos
I thought we had escaped this year. We didn’t have a single hummingbird crash and burn on our deck (that we knew of) this spring. The frequency of accidents goes way up in May/June, but this year was accident-free… Then this week, we had 2 hummingbirds brain themselves on our windows within a 24 hour span. I hate to say this, but I am now rather practiced at reviving little birds – especially the hummingbirds. Yesterday’s hummingbird was the tiniest and worst off to date. I honestly didn’t think he’d make it.
not feeling so good
This little guy didn’t show many of the signs the other hummingbirds exhibit as they begin to recover. Usually they open their eyes after a little bit, start to open their beaks and taste the air with their tongues, sort their wings, look around. This guy just breathed rapidly with eyes shut and feathers in disarray for an hour. I mixed some sugar water (ratio: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water – and for the love of all that is good and sensible, DON’T feed them Splenda or any other fake sugar – hummingbirds need the real deal!) and held it up so his beak would dip into it. Ten minutes went by and nothing. Then I saw the feathers on his throat vibrate and noticed he was drinking! A few minutes after that he opened his eyes and watched me as he drank. Without any warning, he slowly levitated above the deck and zipped off to a nearby tree where he flitted from one branch to another until he flew away. Kinda made my heart fly too.
Now it is full steam ahead! Phases 2 and 3 of the upgrade will be complete this week. If I weren’t so busy, I’d be giddy.
i named them butter and sugar
huge ass L-plate
When last I hosted a stitch-n-bitch, Kitt offered to bring up mojito fixins. I had my first mojito just a few months ago and I’m not much of a boozer, but it sounds like the perfect summer co*cktail to enjoy with friends, doesn’t it? Sure! Kitt’s mojitos were a total hit. I was so distracted hostessing that I completely forgot to actually try one. So when we had friends over this week, I hit Kitt up for her awesome recipe, which she ever so sweetly emailed to me.
basic greens: mint and lime
As you can probably guess, fresh is best. Use fresh mint, use fresh squozen lime juice. I’ve seen some mojito recipes that call for adding sugar, but I’m not a fan of grainy sugar in my drinks. Kitt’s recipe uses simple syrup which is easy to whip up ahead of time. It’s just a one to one ratio of sugar to water (8 oz. sugar to 8 oz. water by weight). While the syrup is hot, dump a few sprigs of mint in to infuse for a few minutes, then remove and let everything cool.
steep the mint
The co*cktail is really to taste, so the measurements are merely guidelines. Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the glass. I use a juicer which does a great job of getting the most out of citrus, so if you have a reamer, you may want to use the whole lime. Pour in some simple syrup and toss a bunch of mint leaves into a glass. Then muddle.
tart, green, wonderful
muddle
What is muddling and what is a muddler? The point of muddling is to bruise the mint and get that flavor mixed in with the liquids. I don’t have an official muddler. I don’t even know what that instrument looks like, but I was told that my Chinese rolling pin (the one I use to roll potsticker wrappers and scallion pancakes) was a good muddler. Add rum to your liking and then top with ice and soda water.
fizzy, refreshing
Give the drink a little stir and prop a lime wedge (technically a wedge is 1/6th of a whole lime – a bunch of dorks including myself looked this up) on the glass. Fantastic!
so nice to kick back with one of these
Kitt’s Mojito
[print recipe]
courtesy of Kitt
1/2 lime, juice of to taste
2 oz. (1/4 cup) minty simple syrup, to taste
bunch of mint leaves
ice
1-2 oz. white rum, to taste
club soda or sparkling water
lime wedge, for garnish
minty simple syrup
8 oz. sugar
8 oz. water
2 sprigs of fresh mint
Minty simple syrup: Make ahead of time. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and set over medium high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and let boil for a few minutes. Remove from heat and toss in the mint. Let steep for a few minutes (or until the syrup is minty enough for you). Remove the mint and let the syrup cool (can be stored in a glass jar, sealed, and refrigerated until ready to use).
In a 12-ounce glass, combine lime juice, minty simple syrup, and a bunch of mint leaves. Muddle the leaves so they are bruised (not necessary to shred them). Fill the glass with ice and pour in rum (to taste). Top the rest of the glass with club soda or sparkling water and garnish with a lime wedge. Makes 1 mojito.
September 4th, 2009: 1:03 pm
filed under beverages, booze, fruit, recipes, sweet
FAQs
Mix this classic co*cktail for a party using fresh mint, white rum, sugar, zesty lime and cooling soda water. Play with the quantities to suit your taste.
What soda water is best for mojitos? ›
Bubbly club soda transforms the intense flavors of rum, mint and lime into an easy sipper. Any club soda or plain sparkling water will do.
What's the difference between a mojito and a virgin mojito? ›
It is a refreshing non-alcoholic drink that is perfect for any occasion. What is the difference between a mojito and a virgin mojito? A mojito contains alcohol, typically rum, while a virgin mojito is alcohol-free, sharing similar ingredients like lime juice, mint, sugar, and soda water.
What is mojito syrup made of? ›
Pure sugar syrup made from natural mint and lime aromas.
What is the difference between classic and virgin mojitos? ›
A mojito drink without alcohol is called a virgin mojito. What's the difference between a mojito and a virgin mojito? A classic mojito has fresh mint, sugar, lime juice, white rum and club soda. A virgin mojito, however, doesn't contain any alcohol and is often called a mocktail because of this.
What is the best rum for a mojito? ›
Rhum Barbancourt White Rum
If you're looking for a classic white rum staple, Rhum Barbancourt is the way to go. It's a rum from Haiti, aged four years and double distilled of cane sugar juices. Although it has a sweeter taste, the spicy finish will give the right amount of heat to a mojito.
Can you use Sprite instead of soda water in a mojito? ›
Can Sprite be used for mojito? Yes, Sprite can be used as a substitute for soda water in a mojito to add a sweeter and slightly citrusy flavour to the co*cktail.
What soda do bartenders use? ›
Club soda is an excellent mixer for many co*cktails. This beverage is a staple in several well-known drinks like a Tom Collins, a gin rickey, or a paloma. You can also use club soda to make non-alcoholic drinks, like Italian soda or bubbly lemonade.
What to use instead of club soda for mojitos? ›
I've been on a big Mojito kick lately and I've been using Diet 7up in place of club soda, per personal preference, so this was a huge hit with me! I used 2 tsps of sugar and bottle lime juice.
What is skinny girl mojito? ›
Cheers to our new low-calorie co*cktail! Combining Cruzan® Rum with a cool touch of citrus and mint, Skinnygirl® Mojito is the perfect light springtime sip. Freshen up any occasion with her light and crisp flavor combo, a co*cktail complemented best with a fresh lime and mint leaf garnish.
Quite some time after the era of the pirates, the origin of the mojito as we know it today dates back to 1910 in Playa de la Concha (Cuba), where it was created by a Spanish descendant who prepared it in a bar for aristocrats.
Do mojitos use white or dark rum? ›
Mojitos are traditionally made with white rum. A classic mojito is meant to be light, crisp, and refreshing. This is why white rum is used. The slightly sweet, subtle flavor of a good white rum blends nicely with the other simple ingredients.
What is a substitute for simple syrup in a mojito? ›
If you're looking for a simple syrup substitute, there are three favorites you probably have right in your home: honey, maple syrup and agave. For honey or agave, add warm water to them, to help turn the mix to syrup. You can also use a sweet, juicy fruit, like an orange.
Why do bartenders use simple syrup? ›
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water. That's literally it. Simple syrup disperses sweetness evenly throughout beverages of any temperature, making it a key component of many iced drinks and co*cktails (like sparkling beet lemonade or a whiskey sour).
What is a mocktail mojito called? ›
A mojito without alcohol is called a "virgin mojito" or "nojito". The Cojito adds coconut flavor, often through the use of coconut-flavored rum. A dirty mojito calls for gold rum instead of white rum, and raw sugar or demerara sugar.
What alcohol goes in a mojito? ›
The drink is traditionally made with unaged white rum, which yields a light, crisp flavor. Using Cuban rum will score you points for authenticity, although many modern Cuban rums are lighter in style than their predecessors, so you might try experimenting with white rums until you find one that you like best.
Are mojitos high in alcohol? ›
How Strong Is the Mojito? The mojito is not a terribly strong co*cktail. When made with 80-proof rum, the alcohol content falls in the 13 percent ABV (26 proof) range. That makes it equivalent to a glass of wine, only far more refreshing.
Is a mojito mint or peppermint? ›
Until early in the 21st century, mixologists looking for mint to flavor mojitos often used spearmint (Mentha spicata), which has a familiar, piquant mint flavor. Some drink makers also used peppermint (Mentha x piperita), but the mint flavor in peppermint leaves is much stronger and spicier than that of spearmint.
What's the difference between a mojito and a Moscow Mule? ›
Comparing the two, the Moscow Mule leans towards a spicy and bold taste, perfect for those who enjoy a zesty kick in their drinks. The Mojito, with its sweet, citrusy, and minty notes, caters to those who prefer a more refreshing and light co*cktail.
Recipe: mojitos
